[Todd_zilla]

Hello everyone,


I'm wondering what folks are using and/or recommending for projector and screen combinations for really big rooms... say 12 - 14 feet wide screen sizes or bigger... thanks in advance...

 

[Chrisx510]

Whats your budget?


And is this for a 12-14ft 1.78 or 2.35 screen??

 

[Todd_zilla]

Putting budget aside for now... just want to know what people are actually using for these types of installs... regardless of price or aspect ratio...

 

[Chrisx510]

Digital Projection will have projectors able to light up that size screen.

 

[Andy Lammer]

Check in with the

- Andy

 

[Jason Turk]

Budget is important to know. Mainly to find out if reasonable results can even be acheived...

 

[stanger89]

IIRC Art is running a Sim2 HT5000 on a 14' scope screen.

 

[Todd_zilla]

Thanks guys...


I was trying to get a feel for real world applications and seeing what the options and tradeoffs were before setting a budget. For example, will this require a $40K projector or can it be done with a $10K projector with a special screen? I'm sure there would be trade offs and compromises between those arrangements, but I'm just trying to get educated as to what people are actually doing and what the options are...

 

[Jason Turk]

No screen will make up for getting the correct projector. There are some that do better than others but that is like getting an average car and putting better tires on it to make it do what you want. That being said, it doesn't mean you have to spend a boatload. It all is in your expectations. There are some people with $2500 projectors on 15' screens that are happy. Me personally....no way.

 

[Todd_zilla]

Thanks Jason... Would I be wrong in saying that this starts with light output? Not marketing numbers, but real light output... If so, then if you have the real output numbers, then you can at least determine what projectors are capable of emitting enough light to meet a certain fL level for a given screen, correct?


After you figure what projectors are even capable of doing such a job, then you can weigh out the tradeoffs and differences that exist between those pjs... At least that's my thinking... there can't be that many that put out enough light to do something like a 14' wide screen at 16 fL or more.

 

[davidcrowe]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd_zilla /forum/post/18266369


Hello everyone,


I'm wondering what folks are using and/or recommending for projector and screen combinations for really big rooms... say 12 - 14 feet wide screen sizes or bigger... thanks in advance...

I have a 12 foot wide HP screen in a light controlled room. Until last month we had an ae900 as our projector. Loved it. Now we have an rs10 and love it even more.



Purchased the screen and rs10 from Jason.

 

[Jason Turk]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd_zilla /forum/post/18273047


Thanks Jason... Would I be wrong in saying that this starts with light output? Not marketing numbers, but real light output... If so, then if you have the real output numbers, then you can at least determine what projectors are capable of emitting enough light to meet a certain fL level for a given screen, correct?


After you figure what projectors are even capable of doing such a job, then you can weigh out the tradeoffs and differences that exist between those pjs... At least that's my thinking... there can't be that many that put out enough light to do something like a 14' wide screen at 16 fL or more.

Exactly. And that in line poses the problems. Very few companies rate them realistically to what you will get (JVC is one of the only ones). So this comparing becomes a bit more challenging).

 

[erkq]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Turk /forum/post/18277299


Exactly. And that in line poses the problems. Very few companies rate them realistically to what you will get (JVC is one of the only ones). So this comparing becomes a bit more challenging).

Yes. And that's what good technical reviews from credible reviewers are for. For example, the JVC RS25, rated at 50k:1 cr has better blacks than the Epson 8500 rated at 200k:1 cr. Not brightness ratings I know. But same idea. You read credible reviews to find out.

 

[Todd_zilla]

Thanks guys... I've gone through the list of "Highly Recommended" PJs (as well as a couple of others I've read about) over at Projector Central and have gleened off the lumen ratings for each in the brightest modes other than "dynamic", which is usually determined to be unwatchable. The non-dynamic mode ratings of the most powerful light canons are:


1. Epson Home Cinema 8500 UB: 1,602 lumens

2. LG CF181D: 1,219 lumens

3. Optoma HD8600: 1,200 lumens

4. Panasonic PT-AE4000U: 950 lumens

5. BenQ W6000: 853 lumens

6. Sony HW15: 830 lumens

7. JVC DLA-RS25: 800 lumens

8. JVC DLA-RS10U: 775 lumens


Of course, I can't find "real" lumen ratings for some others that might fit the bill like:

Digital Projection M-Vision Cine 260

Runco Reflection RS-1100

Runco Video Extreme VX-2000D

Digital Projection dVision 30 1080p XC

Sim2 Grand Cinema C3X Lumis


I have also done the following calculations for varying screen sizes, aspect ratios, and lumen readings:


CIH screen height: 71" (14' wide screen)

2.35:1 ratio: screen width = 168" diagonal = 183"; 1,325 lumens needed to reach 16fL, 2.071 lumens needed to reach 25fL (1.0 gain screen)

1.78:1 ratio: screen width = 126" diagonal = 145"; 994 lumens needed to reach 16fL, 1,553 lumens needed to reach 25fL (1.0 gain screen)


CIH screen height: 66" (13' wide screen)

2.35:1 ratio: screen width = 156" diagonal = 170"; 1,144 lumens needed to reach 16fL, 1,788 lumens needed to reach 25fL (1.0 gain screen)

1.78:1 ratio: screen width = 117" diagonal = 135"; 858 lumens needed to reach 16fL, 1,341 lumens needed to reach 25fL (1.0 gain screen)


CIH screen height: 61" (12' wide screen)

2.35:1 ratio: screen width = 144" diagonal = 156"; 976 lumens needed to reach 16fL, 1,525 lumens needed to reach 25fL (1.0 gain screen)

1.78:1 ratio: screen width = 108" diagonal = 124"; 732 lumens needed to reach 16fL, 1,144 lumens needed to reach 25fL (1.0 gain screen)


CIH screen height: 56" (11' wide screen)

2.35:1 ratio: screen width = 132" diagonal = 143"; 770 lumens needed to reach 16fL, 1,283 lumens needed to reach 25fL (1.0 gain screen)

1.78:1 ratio: screen width = 100" diagonal = 114"; 581 lumens needed to reach 16fL, 968 lumens needed to reach 25fL (1.0 gain screen)


CIH screen height: 51" (10' wide screen)

2.35:1 ratio: screen width = 120" diagonal = 130"; 638lumens needed to reach 16fL, 1,063 lumens needed to reach 25fL (1.0 gain screen)

1.78:1 ratio: screen width = 91" diagonal = 104"; 483 lumens needed to reach 16fL, 806 lumens needed to reach 25fL (1.0 gain screen)


Are screens this big (14' wide) just really uncommon for home theater? Only 2 pjs I've found thus far have the capability to light up a 14' screen to a minimum of 16 fL... Any help with reviews or real world lumen ratings from PJs I haven't listed would be greatly appreciated...

 

[erkq]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd_zilla /forum/post/18288364


Of course, I can't find "real" lumen ratings for some others that might fit the bill

Unfortunately you haven't found "real" lumen specs even for the ones you list except maybe the JVC's. ProjectorCentral is not a good source of real performance specs. Go over to Projectorreviews and cull through the reviews. There you'll find real, measured results for many of the projectors in your list. You also get the advantage of having them measured with a single methodology instead of relying on manufacturer's varying market-speak. That way, even if the methodology is flawed, the results can be compared in a relative manner.


EDIT: I just have to point out... PC is so useless. The projector on the bottom (the JVC RS10) is BRIGHTER than the projector at the top (the Epson 8500) when properly calibrated.

 

[xradman]

It depends on how accurate you want the colors and blacks to be. If you don't really care about accurate calibration and just are looking for good picture with pop, you can pretty much get any projector on that list and be happy with the result. More anal you get with the details and accuracy, more you can expect to pay.

 

[Todd_zilla]

Thanks erkq... I'll go check out the other reviews at Projectorreviews...


Xradman, I'm just trying to find pjs that put out enough light so that I can make a decision between them... I haven't even factored in price yet... Really, looking at calibrated output, only the LG can even come close to lighting up a 1.0 gain screen to at least 16fL... 19.62fL for 1.78:1 ratio and 14.72fL for 2.35:1 ratio...

 

[stanger89]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd_zilla /forum/post/18288364


Are screens this big (14' wide) just really uncommon for home theater?

I'd say yes, it is rather uncommon for people to have 14' wide 1.0 gain screens, at least in this ($3k - $20k) forum. As you've calculated you need a lot of lumens light up a 14' wide, unity gain screen. The difficulty increases "exponentially" (I use the term loosely) as you increase screen size.


The light required grows as the square of the width, so while I have a ~9' wide scope screen, and that's quite easy to light with any of the moderately bright machines (Planar 8150 personally), a 14' screen while only about 50% wider requires almost 3x the lumens.


I'd guess most in this section with >10' screens are using screens with gain, maybe a lot of it (like a HighPower). The rest are in the "big iron" like Art's HT5000, or the DP machines.

 

[erkq]



Quote:
Originally Posted by xradman /forum/post/18288484


If you don't really care about accurate calibration and just are looking for good picture with pop, you can pretty much get any projector on that list and be happy with the result.

Not so much with the JVC's. While they are the brightest when calibrated, they don't have much more to offer when in their brightest mode... only on the order of 100 or 200 more lumens!

 

[Todd_zilla]



Quote:
Originally Posted by stanger89 /forum/post/18288635


I'd say yes, it is rather uncommon for people to have 14' wide 1.0 gain screens.

I don't see that it's common to have a 14' wide display with ANY screen... or those who have them are too busy watching movies to reply...